Latest news with #FASNY
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Southport Fire Department kicks off New York's annual RecruitNY campaign
SOUTHPORT, N.Y. (WETM) — Volunteer fire departments across New York State are sounding the alarm — not because of a fire, but because they're in desperate need of help. A kickoff press conference was held Monday, April 22, at the Southport Fire Department for the Firefighters Association of the State of New York's Annual RecruitNY campaign. Michael Smith from FASNY, along with local leaders and fire officials of Chemung County, gathered to highlight the growing need and to encourage people to step up. RecruitNY is an initiative of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York. It is designed to promote public awareness of the need for volunteers within fire departments in communities. It allows people to come visit the department in person, in the hopes that it will encourage people to join. 'In the last two decades, recruitment has decreased by 33%, which is not sustainable for the volunteer companies. It's critical for our community to recruit more young people,' said Jennifer Furman, Deputy Chemung County Executive. FASNY released a survey and the results showed that 49% of people in New York expressed interest in becoming a volunteer firefighter. Tanglewood hosts two-day online giving campaign 'I've been here for 6-7 years and I am 28 years old. It's honestly been one of the best experiences that I've had here,' said Tyler Edwards, volunteer firefighter at Southport. 'I have volunteered with other departments before in Florida and Pennsylvania, but I can for sure say that this department has been the best that I have ever been a part of,' he said. The minimum age to volunteer is 16, and there aren't any other requirements. 'I am currently the only female active in this department,' said Teena Page, volunteer firefighter at Southport. 'Women are just as tough as men, we might even be tougher than men are,' she said. Many of the volunteers have reasons as to why they decided to start volunteering. 'Growing up as a kid my adopted father was a volunteer firefighter, so as a kid hearing and seeing him run down stairs in the middle of the night, it doesn't matter what time it was, seeing him do that and also seeing him do the job and fight fires encouraged me to grow up and be just like him,' said Edwards. Although volunteers won't get paid, there are financial benefits to becoming a volunteer firefighter. 'The one that is the most important to me is the $200 income tax credit that is provided by New York State to active volunteer firefighters. That $200 is removed from your state tax liability, so it's money in your pocket,' said Michael Smith, member of the publicity committee of the Firefighters Association of New York. Chemung County offers property tax exemptions for all volunteer firefighters. The fire service also offers annual physical examinations to all of the members. Local Parish Priest reflects on Pope Francis' death, legacy of compassion 'The physical goes beyond the scope of those that are offered by private insurance companies. We're looking at cardiac issues and are interested in cancer screenings. Across New York State, we've had a few instances where the early detections have saved the lives of the firefighter,' said Smith. Some volunteer for the benefits while others find joy in saving the lives of others. 'I just love doing what I do for the community. It's very rewarding that the community thanks you for what you do, and knowing that you don't get paid for it,' said Page. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, there was a total of 122 wildland fires in New York State in 2024. 'The history of firefighting isn't there anymore because a lot of firefighters are only one in a family or maybe two in a family,' said Mark Margeson, Chairman of Chemung County Legislature. 'We need to get back to that and invest in it because without them, we have a lot of problems,' he said. The Town and County Fire Department, located at 130 Gardner Rd in Horseheads, is hosting an open house on Saturday, April 26, from 10 am-5 pm and Sunday, April 27, from 10 am- 4 pm. There will be a tour of the station, and attendees are welcome to ask questions and fill out an application. The Elmira Heights Fire Department, located on 215 Elmwood Ave in Elmira Heights, is hosting a barbecue on Saturday, April 26 at noon. The Southport Volunteer Fire Department, located on 1001 Carl St. in Elmira, will be having a chicken barbecue on Sunday, April 27 at 11:14 a.m. For a list of all of the fire departments participating in RecruitNY across the Southern Tier and a list of departments hosting an open house, visit the RecruitNY website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Firefighters wanted: Weekend event to highlight importance, rewards of volunteering
They are on call day and night, they require extensive training, and they could find themselves in a life-or-death situation at any moment. And they do it all for free. Volunteer firefighters are a critical part of the emergency response community, and officials in the fire service agree recruiting and keeping qualified people is a major challenge. That's why many local volunteer fire departments this weekend are holding open house events as part of RecruitNY, an annual statewide recruitment effort coordinated by the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY). Several Chemung County fire chiefs and other local officials gathered at the Southport Volunteer Fire Department on Tuesday to highlight the effort, and the importance and rewards of volunteering. "Volunteer firefighters save taxpayers billions of dollars annually in reduced property taxes, and preservation of life and property," said longtime Southport Volunteer Fire Department member Michael S. Smith, who is also a publicity representative for FASNY. "There's a job for everybody. It's not just about fighting fires," Smith said. "You can get a $200 tax credit from New York state if you're a volunteer. Chemung County offers property tax exemptions for firefighters. Volunteering can also lead to employment opportunities." There are currently about 80,000 volunteer firefighters serving communities across New York state, a drop of about 40,000 from 20 years ago, according to FASNY. At the same time, the association said many volunteer departments are seeing an increase in service calls. About 90% of fire departments statewide are volunteer-based, FASNY said. Chemung County legislator Rodney Strange, whose 15th district includes four volunteer fire departments, said local departments have been hit by those declining numbers. "It's very important we recruit more firefighters. Many departments have single-digit volunteer numbers," said Strange, who added this weekend's events will give people who are interested in volunteering, or in supporting their local fire departments in other ways, a closer look at what volunteer fire service is all about. County legislature Chairman Mark Margeson said he had several firefighting volunteers in his family and said the community needs to understand the importance of the services they provide. "I donate to firefighters and I'm always supporting them," Margeson said. "We need to get back to that and invest in it." Public safety Former Bradford County DA granted parole after serving 3 years for promoting prostitution There are several reasons it's harder to recruit and retain firefighters these days, said Smith, who was also Chemung County's emergency management director for several years. There are many more activities to keep people busy, and fewer manufacturing businesses that run second and third shifts, which often left many people available to volunteer during the day, he said. Whatever the reasons, it's crucial to recognize the value of volunteer firefighters and reverse that trend, Smith said. "It's about helping neighbors," he said. "When that siren blows, there are men and women here in our community who are willing to drop what they are doing and respond to help neighbors — all at no cost. They get no pay." Even departments that aren't holding special RecruitNY events this weekend are happy to welcome visitors, Smith added. For a list of volunteer fire departments that are holding open houses and other special events this weekend, go to "Local volunteer firefighters and emergency workers are the backbone of rural communities, but unfortunately, over the past couple of decades, they have seen their numbers dwindle, with some stations even having to shut down," said Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R-Corning). "This is why the RecruitNY weekend is so important, we need to make people aware of the opportunities available to them in the firehouse." Follow Jeff Murray on X (Twitter) @SGJeffMurray. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Chemung County fire departments holding weekend recruitment drive
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
FASNY putting out call for more volunteer firefighters to join
NEW YORK STATE (WWTI) – The Firefighters Association of the State of New York is putting out the call for more volunteers to answer the call to join local departments. In a press release from FASNY, Volunteer fire departments across New York will open their doors to residents the weekend of Saturday, April 26 to Sunday, April 27 as part of the 16th annual RecuitNY weekend. Zoo New York offers free day for military families and kids This two-day event is designed to help increase volunteer membership in local fire departments. We are hoping that all New Yorkers will help us shine the 'light' red for the recruitment of volunteer firefighters across the state this April. FASNY is working with state and local officials to get some of New York's biggest landmarks involved in this program again this year. It would be great if we could see more and more lights shine red in support of this initiative, and to help departments gain more and more volunteers. FASNY President Eugene Perry To spread the word, FASNY will kick-off the second annual 'Light Up NY Red' campaign from April 21-27. During this week, the organization is asking that residents as well as local businesses, landmarks, and government buildings turn their lights red. Local fire departments across the state have been dealing with staffing shortages and this event will hopefully bring more to area departments. Anyone interested in joining as a volunteer firefighter should visit their local department ask about the process. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Niagara County volunteer fire companies raise alarm on shrinking memberships
With volunteer fire companies across Niagara County facing systemic shortages of new recruits, a renewed effort to attract the next generation is underway. The county will be running a recruitment campaign throughout the month of April highlighting the 28 volunteer companies. It culminates with the weekend of April 26-27, when the Firefighters Association of the State of New York will host its annual RecruitNY campaign. 'You're probably thinking, I'm not a firefighter. I don't have the experience,' said Niagara County Fire Coordinator Jonathan Schultz, 'Neither did any of us standing up here today when we started. The training is provided, the equipment is provided, and there's no cost to you.' Numerous efforts have been made statewide to entice residents to join local companies, including incentivizing people to enlist by offering a stipend for completing certain firefighter training courses. FASNY is also reimbursing state college tuition up to $1,500 per semester for volunteers in school. Bob Snyder, the chief of Newfane's Miller Hose Fire Co., said they have 50 members, of which 20 to 25 are active firefighters. When he joined in the late 1980s, they had a maximum roster of 65 people. 'It's a struggle to try and get new people to join, mostly because they don't feel qualified to be a firefighter,' he said, adding his company gets more than 1,000 calls a year for fires and EMS. 'There's other jobs to do other than firefighters.' Edward Tase, the past president for FASNY who worked at Frontier and South Lockport fire companies, said there are less than 80,000 volunteer firefighters statewide. He is urging state lawmakers to understand the value they bring and give them support through benefits and an increased income tax credit. This past February, in response to a fire that took down Wilson's Lakeside Market, State Sen. Rob Ortt proposed bills that supported volunteer firefighter efforts, including extending tuition-free course benefits, creating wage tax credits for employers, creating a wage allowance, and allowing villages to bring in more volunteers living outside their boundaries. Those interested can download the Prepare Niagara app, which has recruitment forms, or by contacting the County Emergency Management at 716-438-3171.
